Carlü Sadie: Springboks Star Narrates Life-Threatening Injury That Left Him Just 2mm From Death
- Springboks tighthead prop Carlu Sadie shared how he almost lost his life due to a severe injury over a year ago
- The 28-year-old was close to retiring from rugby due to injury, with doctors giving him only a 50 per cent chance of survival
- The Bordeaux Bègles also talked about what he meant by being called up into the Springboks alignment camp
Springboks star Carlu Sadie has narrated the terrifying injury which almost made him lose his life and how he miraculously regained his career.
Source: Getty Images
Sadie was on the brink of quitting rugby over a year ago, but he's now in the Springboks fold as he was part of the players Rassie Erasmus called up for the Boks camp that took place earlier this month.
The Springboks have begun preparation for the 2026 season with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia also in mind as they hope to retain the title for the third time in a row.
Sadie narrates how he almost died
Sadie has opened up about the life-threatening neck injury that left him within 2mm of passing on, as well as the extraordinary path that has since earned him a Springbok alignment camp call-up.
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In a recent interview with Rapport, the South African tighthead prop shared that just a few months ago, he was confronted with the possibility of not only ending his rugby career but also losing his life.
“It was an incredibly tough time. There was fear and uncertainty about what lay ahead. I genuinely didn’t know if I would ever return to rugby,” the Springboks star explained during the interview.
Sadie's injury happened during a scrum against Lyon in January 2025. Despite initially feeling fine, Sadie carried on playing until he began hearing repeated cracking noises coming from his neck.
“It felt as though my head wasn’t properly secured, almost like a loose bottle cap,” the 28-year-old added.
Medical scans later confirmed serious damage between his C1 and C2 vertebrae. A specialist cautioned that had his neck shifted just 2mm further, the outcome would have been fatal. The injury was comparable to the one that forced Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff into retirement.
Source: Getty Images
Sadie's miraculous recovery journey, Springboks call-up
Sadie underwent a complicated surgical procedure, with doctors giving him only a 50 per cent chance of survival. The operation required surgeons to extract bone from his hip and use it to stabilise his neck with two screws, reinforcing the damaged area.
His road to recovery was just as gruelling, involving several months of intensive rehabilitation under respected physiotherapist Luc Senegas.
Sadie made his return to the field in August 2025 and has since featured 22 times for Bordeaux Bègles. This past week, he was rewarded with a call-up to the Springboks alignment camp. He is one of the overseas-based players who joined the camp virtually.
He narrated how being called up into the Springboks fold was something he had dreamed of, described the move as a grace from God, and thanked him.
“Getting the invitation to my first Bok camp is something I’ve always dreamed of. It still feels surreal. I can only describe it as grace. All praise to our Heavenly Father," the South African rugby star concluded.
Erasmus expresses confidence in squad depth
Briefly News also reported that Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus is confident in the team’s fly-half stocks, a position that once caused headaches ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The coach reportedly said he was satisfied with the current depth, noting that the players offer flexibility depending on the game plan the team wants to implement.
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Source: Briefly News
